Feature - Sophisticated cannabis farms worth millions

Newspaper: Wakefield Express.'Story: Horbury Bridge cannabis farm shut down by police.'Inspector Ian Williams is pictured in one of the drying rooms, used as the name suggests, to dry out the newly harvested crops.'Photo Date: 18/06/15'Picture Ref: AB084a0615

All three buildings contained thousands of plants with the potential to produce cannabis worth millions of pounds.

In Calderdale, businessman Stephen Hill was jailed for two years last month after being caught smuggling cannabis to the Isle of Man.

Police raided his home in Market Street, Hebden Bridge, and found 4.5kg of skunk cannabis and £7,000 in cash. Hill had also been growing eight cannabis plants at the house.

And three men were jailed for producing cannabis in Cleckheaton and Dewsbury in an operation worth more than £100,000 last year.

Police uncovered a cannabis farm at a unit in Headfield Mills, Cleckheaton, where plants worth an estimated £60,000 were seized in 2012.

They also found equipment that was used to grow another farm on Tofts Road, Cleckheaton, which produced plants worth £31,000.

Riki Williams, of Cornmill Drive, Liversedge, was jailed for four years and eight months; Simon Hepworth, of Sykes Street, Cleckheaton, was jailed for three years and two months and Joseph Cox, of Occupation Lane, Chickenley, was jailed for six years and three months.

Mr Dent said receiving information from the public was vital in helping shut down drug operations.

He said: “A key part of our work to tackle the issue is the information we receive from communities about residential or commercial premises that appear to be being used for the production of cannabis. We encourage people to keep letting us know their suspicions so we can act.”

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 55111.

Trending

14-year-old boy had sex with young girl

Mobile speed cameras will be at these 16 locations in Calderdale

Trains cancelled due to flooding in Yorkshire

Sirens sounded as flood warning issued in Calderdale after heavy rain

Wanted in Calderdale - these are the people police urgently want to speak to